Memorandum 13-049 2005 Transportation Plan Central Business District East/West Corridor Alternative

CITY OF HOMER
PUBLIC WORKS        TELEPHONE (907)235-3170
3575 HEATH STREET HOMER, AK 99603        FACSIMILE   (907)235-3145
             

MEMORANDUM 13-049

TO:  Walt Wrede, City Manager

FROM: Carey Meyer, Public Works Director

DATE:  April 3, 2013

RE:  Waddell Way Connection to Heath Street
  Transportation Master Plan Alternative Recommendations
__________________________________________________________________________________

The Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) met on February 19. On the agenda was the issue of Waddell Way and how the proposed road connection between Lake Street and Heath Street should occur.

One of the major issues raise by the Transportation Master Plan (2005) was the need for a new east/west road corridor that would provide for the movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic across the Central Business District. This new corridor would provide an alternative to the Sterling Highway and Pioneer Avenue arterial streets. Attached are the two alternative routes presented in the Plan - (Alternative A – using Grubstake Avenue and Alternative B – using Hazel Avenue).

The TAC, after extensive discussion, unanimously recommended that Alternative B be utilized. The implication of routing traffic thru the residential neighborhood along Grubstake was the main reason why Alternative A was not recommended. Acceptance of this recommendation by the City Council would establish the new corridor west of Heath Street.

The Committee then discussed the advantages and disadvantages of several options regarding how the new corridor should be aligned east of Heath Street (in particular how Waddell Way should be connected to Heath Street).  The attached map shows the alternatives considered).

The TAC voted to approve the Waddell Way connection at Bonanza Avenue.

The City discussed this alignment with Homer Electric Association (since property would need to be acquired from them) in an attempt to  prepare for Council action regarding acceptance of the TAC recommendations. No response was received from HEA.

Recommendations:  The City Council approve by resolution Alternative B as the new east/west central business district road corridor (using Hazel Avenue as the connection to Heath Street) and approves the Waddell Way portion of the road corridor be connected to Heath Street at Bonanza Avenue.